Breckinridge

Formed December 19, 1799 (39^th county)

Breckinridge County (20,433), Hardinsburg (2,383)

The red brick and concrete Modern courthouse was constructed in 1958 surrounded by 2^nd, Main, and Courthouse streets.  Kentucky State Highway 261 is Main Street.  Walter S. Roberts is the building architect.  A Justice Center was added in 2013 across the street.  There was an 1865 building in Hardinsburg, the only county seat.  Breckinridge County was established on December 19, 1799 out of Hardin County as the 39^th county.  The county is named for Senator John Breckinridge.  The county seat is named for Captain William Hardin who established a fort here. 

Breckinridge County government consists of a County Judge Executive, a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 6 Magistrates (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges and Two District Court Judges serve Breckinridge, Grayson and Meade counties and a court clerk serves Breckinridge County (judicial.) The county is on the northwest border with Indiana.  The Ohio River is its northern border.  Louisville, Kentucky is northeast and Owensboro, Kentucky is west of the county.  The county center is 1.5 miles North of Hardinsburg.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Indiana and Meade, Hardin, Grayson, Ohio, and Hancock counties. 

The area of the county is 572 square miles.  It is 6 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 55 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.7 persons per square mile making it 98 out of 120 in the state.  Breckinridge County has 23.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 60 crosses the county east to west from Meade County to Hancock County.  The county looks like a bowl with a lid opened to the east and the wavy northwest river border.  Hardinsburg is south and west of center in the county.  Hardinsburg is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 11.7% of the county population.